How to Cure a Dragon's Poison
by PastSelf
Summary: A Venomous Vorpent is one of the deadliest species of dragons in the Archipelago. When one of the Dragon Riders is stung, they all must brave the deadly northern wastes to find a cure before time runs out. Movieverse, but with elements and some characters borrowed from the books.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, everybody! Just wanted to say right off the bat, thank you so much for stopping by to read this little fanfic of mine. This is actually the first fanfiction story I ever wrote (not the first story I've ever written, though), so the writing style might be a little sketchier than my more recent stories. It's also more condensed - I was trying to keep it shorter because I was entering it in a local fandom contest (Second Place winner, baby! Yessss!) ****Anyway, I did some editing but kept it true to the original draft. I hope it'll please you.**

**Although this is movieverse, it does take some characters and scenarios from the books, especially the fourth one: 'How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse'. If you've read the books, some things will be familiar, but there will be some twists and turns, so don't think you know how it ends.**

**So, that's all I've got for now. Leave some reviews telling me what you think, settle back and allow yourself to be immersed, and I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**How to Cure a Dragon's Poison**

The errand was supposed to be simple, if not downright boring: escort the Viking ships from Berk to its destination in the outer isles. The trip was only supposed to take two days, but sudden storms drew the journey out. Constant wind and blowing snow knocked the dragons out of the sky and the ships were on constant 'All Hands'.

Five days of this monotonous job had the whole crew of dragon riders – Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Tuffnut and Ruffnut – and their dragons practically jumping out of their saddles for some adventure. Well, now they had what they had wished for.

Hiccup was used to being attacked by dragons. Why wouldn't he? Dragons had been all around when he was a baby, a small boy, and even now he was constantly surrounded by them. They were around even more now that he had made friends with his very own Night Fury, Toothless, three years ago. What _was_ unusual was when the attacking dragon was the size of a miniscule, angry lizard.

The dragon was very small, yellow, and had a long stinger like a scorpion arching over its back. Most dragons that size would scurry for cover if six young Viking teens came barging through the snow looking for firewood, but not this dragon. Without any warning, it sprang out of the bushes like a flash of golden lightning, stinger raised.

Hiccup – sitting on Toothless' back – was the first one to see it, but not until it was nearly on top of him. It scuttled toward him at astonishing speed. Hiccup yelled and Toothless gave a roar, rolling over to try and crush the intruder that had made its way onto his back. Hiccup's shout was smothered in the snow as the full weight of his sturdy black dragon landed on him. He lay there for several seconds trying to get his breath back, dimly aware that Astrid was shouting at him.

"Hiccup! Get up!" she screamed. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he gasped.

Astrid unhitched his tether that attached him to Toothless before he was dragged away. Hiccup sat up and dazedly looked at his peg leg, trying to clear away the black spots before his eyes. Toothless was circling the other dragon, blocking its attacks with his fake tail.

"Hiccup!"

Hiccup looked up to see Fishlegs barreling over to him, a concerned expression on his face.

"Fishlegs," Hiccup tried his best to focus his eyes, but they refused to focus. "What is that thing?"

There was no Viking alive who knew more dragons than Fishlegs. "I've never seen one of these before, but I've read about them," Fishlegs started, eyes opened wide as they could go. "I think this particular dragon is called the Vorpent. The Venomous Vorpent. Hiccup…"

"Venomous Vorpent, huh?"

Hiccup could finally see again without the world swirling before his eyes. He hoisted himself to his feet.

"I haven't heard of a Vorpent before," Astrid said.

"That's because they're extremely rare. Hiccup…"

Before Fishlegs could continue, Astrid shouted "Get down!" and threw Hiccup to the ground, knocking the breath from his lungs. Again.

The Vorpent had apparently grown tired of the circling game with Toothless and had darted. It whipped over Astrid's shoulder, running at top speed through the snow before Astrid could counter with a blow from her axe. Through the snow it sped, coming around again for another attack.

"I'll get it," Tuffnut said, shoving his way in front of his twin sister.

"No you won't! I'll get it!" shouted Ruffnut, and soon both of them were engaged in a fight.

"Those guys; so immature," snorted Snotlout, trying to impress Astrid as usual.

The Vorpent dashed quickly toward the trio, not appearing to take any more notice of them. Snotlout yelped with surprise and dropped his shield and Tuffnut and Ruffnut halted their fight to jump to the side. The yellow gleam of the Venomous Vorpent disappeared into the snow and did not return.

"I had that!" shouted Ruffnut.

"No you didn't! I did!" hollered Tuffnut. Both of them started throwing snowballs at the other.

"Alright, gang," Hiccup resumed control again. "We'd better get back to camp before that Vorpent decides to show up again. We'd better tell my dad to have everyone sleep in the ships, too. And check in with Gothi to see if anyone got stung. Not now, Fishlegs."

Fishlegs seemed quite upset about something, but Hiccup was too preoccupied to take much notice. The wind had begun to kick up again, so any attempts at communication between the two was futile. Fishlegs eventually gave up. He would tell Hiccup when they landed.

* * *

Inside the temporary hut that had been set up for Gothi – the tribe's elder and healer – the dragon riders warmed themselves beside the fire while their dragons shivered outside.

When she heard that the riders had been attacked by a Venomous Vorpent, Gothi's eyes opened wide in fright. Gothi could not talk, but she communicated by way of her wooden staff with which she scratched words in the ground.

"Very poisonous?" Hiccup read. He lifted his hands up to his hair and ruffled it like he was apt to do. "How very poisonous?"

Gothi's stick scratched again.

"Fatal?" gasped Astrid. Behind Hiccup, Fishlegs whimpered.

"Gothi, is there a cure?"

_Scratch, scratch_.

Hiccup read out loud, "A cooked red potato? That's so easy!"

"Um, Hiccup?" Tuffnut raised a hand. "Ruff and I ate the last red potatoes this morning with breakfast."

"And they were really tasty!" added Ruffnut.

"Oh. Well, we won't need it. None of us was stung." Gothi let out a small sigh, shaking her gray plaits. "Right, Gothi?" asked Hiccup, an uneasy feeling drifting over his stomach.

Gothi looked solemn.

"One of us was stung." It was more of a statement than a question. Looking at Gothi, even Snotlout could tell that the answer was 'yes'.

"Um, Hiccup?"

"Just a minute, Fishlegs. Who was stung, Gothi?"

"Hiccup…"

Gothi's staff scribbled furiously. _I cannot tell, _it read, _If the person that was stung realizes that he has Vorpentitus, that person has five minutes left to live. _

"Only five minutes?" gasped Hiccup.

Gothi scribbled some more. _Even if the one does not find out, that person still has three days since the point that he was first stung. After those hours are up, the person will die._

"Only that long?" murmured Astrid.

"So… we have three days to look for a cure?" Hiccup asked.

"I'm going to be the one to find it," Snotlout said confidently.

"Hold up, Snotlout. Gothi, what are the symptoms of Vorpentitus?"

Gothi started writing a long list. "Even though there are many symptoms," read Hiccup out loud, "all may not be apparent in all victims. The symptoms include shaking, sneezing, instability, times of extreme anger, headache, sore throat, episodes of madness… Gothi, is there anything not on the list?"

Gothi thought for a bit, then wrote down _Nosebleed._

"So," said Tuffnut, putting his hand to his chin in a considering gesture, "you mean that if I get a nosebleed that means I didn't get stung? Ruffnut, quick, punch me!"

Ruffnut happily obliged.

"OWW!" hollered Tuffnut, getting up off the ground and inspecting his nose. Although the blow was not a soft one, no blood was spilled. "I'm not bleeding… I've got Vorpentitus!" Tuffnut went into a series of choking coughs, spun around, then flopped down on the ground like a flounder, shaking uncontrollably. "This is the end," he moaned dramatically. "I go now to Valhalla." His shuddering ceased and he lay limply, tongue out, in the very image of death.

Gothi rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on, Tuff," Hiccup sighed. "You don't have Vorpentitus."

"Yes, I do. And I'm dead. Don't you see the tongue sticking out; the glazed eyes?"

"If you're dead, then this won't hurt a bit." Ruffnut said, giving him a kick.

"OWW!" Tuffnut launched himself to his feet. "You are so going to pay for that, Ruffnut! I challenge you to The Challenge."

"You're on," growled his sister.

"Here, hold these." Tuffnut handed Snotlout his helmet. Ruffnut removed hers and handed it over to him also.

"Snotlout… what's going on?" asked Hiccup, looking baffled.

"Just you wait and see," Snotlout snickered.

Tuff and Ruff stood face to face, neither flinching. "Alright. On three. One… Two… Three!"

As soon as the last number was out of his mouth, the twins crashed their heads together with sickening speed. The heads collided with a '_smash!_' and they stumbled about the room before collapsing unconscious on the floor.

Snotlout burst into uncontrolled laughter, staggering backwards and sitting in a convenient wicker basket filled with halibut heads.

"Snotlout…"

"I taught them that," grinned Snotlout, rubbing his hands together and extracting himself from the basket. "I told them that it would be a great way to solve their problems. The one who is still conscious by the end of the round is the winner. So far…" he dissolved into giggles again, "there hasn't been a winner."

"Wow," Astrid said. "That was actually a really smart idea, Snotlout."

"And we can actually have some peace and quiet, now," Fishlegs grinned.

"I did it all for you, babe." Snotlout held out his arms as if he was bestowing a gift. "When I told them what they should do, your face rose primary to my mind. I could not help my feelings when…"

"And the moment has passed." Hiccup changed the subject abruptly, turning to the elder. "Gothi, I need you to look after Tuff and Ruff until they… you know." Gothi nodded. "The rest of you, come with me. We need to tell my dad. Fishlegs, you've been wanting to tell me something?"

"Umm…" For some reason, Fishlegs seemed to be stalling. "Never mind."

"O.K. gang. Let's go!"

Even after the others had exited, Fishlegs stayed in Gothi's tent, hands wringing anxiously. Gothi put a gentle hand on his arm and scratched some words in the dirt.

"Yes. I do." Fishlegs answered to her question.

More scratching.

"I know. It's just so hard!"

_Scratch, scratch_.

"The victim of Vorpent venom will be more subject to its power the more he travels?" Gothi nodded. "I didn't know that. Thank you, Gothi." With a smile, Fishlegs went out of the tent.

And nearly bumped smack into Snotlout.

"Staying behind to get some last minute advice, I see?" he smirked.

"Not now, Snotlout." Fishlegs turned away towards his Gronkle, Meatlug.

"Poor, poor Fishlegs." Snotlout followed him, still talking. "Could it be that you're jealous?"

"Jealous? Of what?"

"Of Hiccup." Snotlout smiled, seeing Fishlegs had caught the bait. "He's always so heroic. So perfect. Don't you ever wish that you could be the hero this time? Just a little?"

"That's not what I was talking about, Snotlout." Fishlegs began to bristle in irritation.

"Oh, of course not." Snotlout's tone was deceptively mild. "But, I just want you to know, your secret's safe with me."

"What secret?"

"That you want to be the one who finds the cure, duh!"

"Listen, Snotlout," Fishlegs finally lashed out, "what I was talking about in there wasn't about me! It wasn't about your stupid ideas of heroism. It was about… oh, just forget it."

"Alright, alright," Snotlout said, rather startled by his outburst. "Just forget I said anything."

Fishlegs snorted and climbed onto Meatlug. "Come on, girl," he muttered. "Let's follow the others."


	2. Chapter 2

Hiccup was having problems of his own. Apparently, his dad was far too busy getting camp set up and fortifying it against the winter snow and wind to listen to his son tell him about a new dragon that they had encountered.

"Best not worry him," said Gobber, the one legged, one armed blacksmith, coming up to pat Hiccup on the back. "He's got the whole operation riding on his shoulders."

"Gobber," said Hiccup in relief, "I need to tell you something."

"If that something is that you are finally going to show up for work in the shop, I'm all ears."

"Well, no. But it's much more important. One of us has been stung by the Venomous Vorpent."

Gobber's head swiveled around. His eyes went wide. "A Venomous Vorpent?" His question was like a sigh of wind. "But that poison is…"

"Fatal. I know. So, the gang and I are going out to look for a cure."

"Which is?"

"A red potato."

Gobber guffawed and waved his hook at their bleak surroundings. "Look around you, lad! It's not potato season!"

"I know, but I was thinking that one of the surrounding tribes on a nearby island might have one left over from the harvest…"

"And besides, where will you go?" pointed out Gobber. "With this wind blowing, you'll hardly get those dragons of yours off the ground. You'll have to ride them like ponies on the ground, and you know how much slower that is."

"And what is the alternative?" contradicted Hiccup, getting angry. "Staying here? Letting one of my friends die? No. No, no sir, Gobber. I'm not going to let that happen."

"Don't get so excited! I'm just pointing out problems in your calculations. Now then, what direction will you be going?"

"Umm…" Hiccup looked at Astrid, who shrugged.

"Well," Gobber pulled out a strip of paper, "it just so happens that I have a map here. How much time do you have to search for the potato?"

"About three days."

"Alright, that means that you will need to be looking in this general area." He dragged his finger in a circular motion over the paper.

"But we're in the middle of nowhere," Hiccup said in mounting dread, absently stroking Toothless.

"True, but look here." Gobber pointed to an area near the outer rim of the circle.

"Unknown?" read Hiccup out loud.

"Aye. If there's one place it would be that you could get to in three days, that would be it."

"But we don't even know if there's a tribe in that area," pointed out Astrid.

"True again, but let me put it this way: what choice do y' have?"

Hiccup looked at Astrid and sighed. "He's right, Astrid. There are no other tribes that we can get to within three days' time."

"Then to the unknown we go!" cried Astrid, swinging herself onto her dragon, Stormfly.

"Uh, Gobber," Hiccup turned back to his friend. "Could you talk to my dad and tell him where we've gone?"

"Sure! I bet I can calm the old warthog down a bit. Though," he leaned in closer to Hiccup, "you should still expect a bit of an outburst on your return."

"Noted." Hiccup swung onto Toothless, calling out, "And by the way, keep everybody off of those hills. We don't want the Vorpent showing up again."

* * *

The journey was cold. Very cold. The wind whirled around them, shedding snowflakes that always managed to smack their cold wetness right into their faces. There was no way to tell if the sun was high or low, but when it got darker than it already was, Hiccup decided to make camp. They found a large cave on a small island, relatively free of snow and wind.

"I think that we should press on, Hiccup," Fishlegs said, still on top of his Gronkle.

"We need our rest, Fishlegs. I think I speak for us all here when I say that we're tired."

"Not too bad," Astrid said dubiously.

"I could keep going for hours," Tuffnut exclaimed.

"Nope. I need to stop." Snotlout immediately withdrew his statement when he saw Astrid looking at him. "I mean… I think that the ladies are getting tired."

"Well, I'm tired," Hiccup said, putting an end to the discussion. Toothless sneezed as if to say '_me too_!'

"I could keep going," Fishlegs said, still pressing the issue. "Gronkles were born up north. They are used to this sort of weather. Aren't you, girl?" he gave Meatlug a friendly scratch. She blinked her large yellow eyes up at him.

"No, Fishlegs. We need to stay together."

"But, Hiccup…"

"And that's my final word on the matter!"

Hiccup turned away, shivering violently. Astrid came up beside him. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked softly.

"Nothing. Just cold."

"I meant about Fishlegs. You never talk to him like that."

"I don't know." Hiccup kept his head down, trying to unpack as slowly as possible.

Astrid patted him reassuringly on the back. "You just need some rest. I'll be back in a moment." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and walked away.

Fishlegs didn't talk again until after they had eaten and Hiccup had decided that they should post a watch.

"I think the twins should take first watch," Fishlegs said.

"What?" Tuffnut exclaimed in horror. "I need my beauty sleep, Fishlegs."

"Yes, you do," murmured Snotlout into his mug.

"Why, Fishlegs?" asked Hiccup.

"Well…" Fishlegs seemed to be struggling to find an explanation. "Well… they… didn't help to set up camp, so… I think that they should be pulling their own weight around here, right?"

"That… doesn't sound like you, Fishlegs. Are you alright?" Hiccup asked with concern.

"I'm fine!" Fishlegs said with more fire than he intended.

"Well…" Hiccup seemed to be considering this idea.

"Please say no, please say no," prayed Tuffnut and Ruffnut.

"Please say yes, please say yes," prayed Fishlegs.

"Alright," Hiccup decided finally. "Ruff, Tuff, you get first watch. Fishlegs, you get second. Snotlout, third. Astrid, fourth."

"NOOOOOOO!" moaned Ruffnut.

"The gods have abandoned us," wept Tuffnut.

* * *

"I can't help thinking that this is grossly unfair," moped Tuffnut. "I mean, look at them." He gestured at the two-headed dragon slumbering behind them. "They're our dragon. They should help us with the watch. Hey, you two. Wake up!" He nudged them with his foot. They merely stirred sleepily and did not bat an eyelid.

"Tell you what," said Ruffnut, "you watch for a while, I'll get some shut-eye."

"Oh, no you don't. You watch, I'll get some shut-eye."

"Why don't we both get some shut-eye, and the dragons will watch."

"That's a good idea. Barf, Belch, wake up."

This time, two feet thudded into the dragon's side. The dragon's four eyes opened sleepily.

"Keep watch, will you?" Ruffnut yawned "We're trying… to… sleep…"

Within seconds, they were both in dreamland.

The Two-headed Zippleback, who had been woken up without any clue why, naturally assumed that this was just a dream and they really shouldn't have to keep watch. Their eyes drifted shut and they fell asleep.

Fishlegs quietly opened his eyes. "I knew they wouldn't last the watch," he whispered to himself jubilantly. Rising to his feet as silently as possible, he went over to Meatlug. "C'mon, girl. Let's go," he whispered.

Nobody saw the two sneak out into the snow.

* * *

An hour or so later, Fishlegs was wondering if this had been such a good idea. The wind was strong. Too strong, almost, for sturdy Meatlug. Fishlegs had dismounted and continued on foot to make it easier for his dragon. "Just a little farther, girl," he murmured through frozen lips. To keep himself warm – which was becoming increasingly difficult – he started muttering species of dragons from the Boulder Class: "Whispering Death, Gronkle-" But no matter what he did, he became colder and colder.

"Need to keep going," he whispered as his legs buckled beneath him. Meatlug whimpered as Fishlegs closed his eyes. She nudged him with her great head. "Don't worry, Meatlug," Fishlegs murmured.

Meatlug watched in horror as her master tipped over to lay in the snow. She gave an anguished roar and tried to push him over, but he was asleep and could not be wakened. He had been her master for over three years. Was he to desert her now?

Meatlug's nostrils pricked and her pupils constricted. She growled deep in her throat and backed herself closer to her master. A scent was in the wind. A scent she had never smelled before, even in her youth.

Dark shapes began to form in front of her. She shot several fireballs at them to warn them away, but they stayed, never advancing.

Suddenly, a rope wound itself around her throat. She whipped around too late. The figures in front of her had been a ruse! She was trapped! She lashed wildly, but more ropes were thrown about her.

Figures wrapped in white polar bear furs came forward, speaking in a strange language. Meatlug growled again as they came near Fishlegs, stooping over him and muttering. Eventually, she subsided, resigned to the fact that at least for now she and her master had been captured.

* * *

**A/N: Hey there, guys! Thank you for stopping by to read Chapter 2. I haven't posted to an extremely active fandom like this before and WOW was I surprised when I saw how many reads I got! Thank you all so much!**

**Guest: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter.**

**Romantica 123: What an enthusiastic review! As to who was bitten, you'll just have to wait and see. :)**

**CurlyFriDays: I'll do you one better. Hm HMMM. :D**

**I'll be posting again next week. Hope you enjoy!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Ugh…"

Hiccup came to unpleasant wakefulness with a groan. He was cold, even in the pit of his stomach, despite the burning warmth of the dragon beside him. He blinked several times, trying to make his eyes adjust.

"What time is it?" whispered Astrid from the other side of the room.

"Morning," moaned Hiccup, peering out the cave entrance where the snow was still falling as thickly as ever. "We should get going."

Everyone was woken and things were getting packed when Astrid suddenly said, "You know, I never had a watch last night."

"Me neither," said Snotlout.

"Fishlegs must not have woken you. Fishlegs?" But when Hiccup turned around, Fishlegs was not there. "Where is he?" he asked. "Guys?" he turned to the twins. "Did you give Fishlegs his watch last night?"

"Who, us?" Tuffnut looked innocent "Of course we did! It's not like we fell asleep during our watch last night."

"Yeah," added Ruffnut, "nothing like that."

"You fell asleep during your watch?" exclaimed Hiccup, grabbing at his hair wildly.

"Didn't you hear what we just said? We said we _didn't_ fall asleep last night. Didn't you hear the '_didn't_'?"

"So, you're saying that as soon as the twins fell asleep," Snotlout said slowly, "Fishlegs and his Gronkle took all their stuff and left to find the red potato on their own?"

"That doesn't sound like Fishlegs." Hiccup mused.

"You know what, guys?" Snotlout exclaimed triumphantly. "I bet Fishlegs is the one with Vorpentitus."

"What! Why?"

"All the signs are there. Listen, right before we left, I caught Fishlegs talking to Gothi – getting some more information."

"Well, that's not too unusual."

"No," Snotlout admitted, "That's not. But have you ever known him to get angry for no apparent reason?"

"Well…"

"I just asked him what he was talking to Gothi about and he yelled at me."

"That _is_ strange," agreed Astrid.

"And now he's gone out missing in the night. He's got Vorpentitus, I tell you!"

"Alright, calm down, Snotlout." Hiccup waved a hand and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down before continuing. "He's probably okay. He has Meatlug with him."

"I know I wouldn't be okay if I had Meatlug with me," said Snotlout in a sing-song tone.

"Besides," Hiccup was now talking more to himself than anyone else, "he's riding on a Gronkle. We'll catch up with him in no time."

* * *

Many hours had passed and there was still no sign of Fishlegs. The dragons pushed on diligently through the snowstorm, growling slightly at the cold. Hiccup could feel Toothless shuddering beneath him. "It's alright, Bud," he muttered. "Just hang in there."

In another hour, it became apparent that it was not alright. The snow, which had been unsure about whether to start, suddenly came down in an overwhelming torrent. Snotlout's fingers were frozen stiff so that he could hardly hold his dragon's reigns.

"Hiccup," Astrid shouted over the wind, "we need to find shelter!"

"I know!" he shouted back. "I'm looking!"

Hiccup never knew if it was luck, coincidence, or Odin working in their favor, but an island loomed up before them. Dark and threatening in the distance, it was nonetheless their only hope of survival from the onslaught from above.

"Thank the gods," he whispered as their dragons trotted into a cave.

His thanks froze on his lips as he realized that the cave was already inhabited. It was not a shallow cave, as he had formerly supposed. It was quite large and so deep that he could not see the end. Wooden houses propped on stilts and supported by the cavern walls stood here and there, looming above a dirt pathway leading through the village.

"What is this place?" gasped Astrid.

"I have a theory," said Tuffnut, "but I haven't quite finished figuring out what it is."

"Well," Hiccup said, getting over his shock, "maybe the tribe that lives here is friendly…"

No sooner had he finished this sentence than they were suddenly surrounded. From the pockets of the wall, from up above, from everywhere it seemed the unknown tribe came springing. They were dressed in polar bear furs with the heads used as hoods pulled down low over their faces. Their fingers were stuffed into the bear's paws like mittens and they held axes and maces.

"You were saying?" asked Snotlout.

Hiccup raised his hands slowly in the air. "We surrender!" he cried.

The polar bear people advanced slowly, speaking in a strange tongue. One of them came forward, mace still held at the ready.

"How did you find your way to us?" It was a woman's voice that spoke. Her voice was held firm although it had a strange accent.

"We didn't mean to intrude," Hiccup said, his hands still raised. "We were just trying to find shelter."

The strange person took off her hood. Underneath was a young woman, only a little older than the dragon riders, Hiccup guessed. Probably late teens. Her hair was brown and pinned behind her head. Her brown eyes flickered dimly, but they had dark circles beneath them as if she had not slept well for many nights.

She narrowed her eyes to stare at them and Hiccup felt like she was looking straight into his soul. Just as he thought she would drain his life away all together, she announced, "I believe you."

The girl straightened, mouth creasing in a smile and putting away her mace. The fighters surrounding her drew back their hoods and put away their weapons.

"Come," the girl said, stepping forward and taking Hiccup by the hand. "You shall dine with us and stay the night."

"Uh… thank you," said Hiccup, a little bewildered by this change of mood. "My name is Hiccup, and this is my dragon, Toothless. That's Astrid, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Snotlout, and their dragons – Hookfang, Stormfly, Barf, and Belch."

"I am pleased to meet you all," said the girl, looking at them with a warm expression on her face.

"May I ask what your name is," inquired Hiccup politely, "and what tribe this is?" He waved a hand at the village.

"My name is Gwendrid," she said, "and I am the chief of the Wanderer Tribe."

"Chief?" blurted out Hiccup.

"Does that surprise you?"

"No. Well, yes. Well…" He halted in confusion.

"Well?" Gwendrid pulled him on.

"I just… well… you're just so young! I would have expected someone older to—"

"Drastic times call for drastic measures." Gwendrid looked suddenly sad. "I am young to be a chief, that is true. But as the eldest of my surviving family, I was left with no alternative. It is a heavy burden sometimes, Hiccup." Her voice became soft. "A very heavy burden."

Her downcast eyes raised and she smiled once more. "But please, no more of my idle talk. Come, we will prepare food for you and your dragons."

* * *

**A/N: Hey again, you guys! Sorry this chapter is a little shorter than the others, but I hope it was still enjoyable.**

**Wow, in the comments section there are a lot of guesses as to who has vorpentitus! Forgive me a cruel chuckle as I withhold that information from you. (Hehehehe.) I guess you'll just have to wait and see.**

**Next chapter next week! See you then!**


	4. Chapter 4

The food was delicious, but Hiccup had no stomach for it. He was tired and his head ached from the smoke from the cooking fires. "Gwendrid," he asked his hostess after politely swallowing a few mouthfuls of food, "we're in this area searching for a friend."

Gwendrid slowly put down the cup she was holding, carefully turning her face away from Hiccup and toward the firelight.

"We think he has Vorpentitus."

Gwendrid swiftly swiveled her face back to his. Her eyes were surprised. "You think_ he_ has Vorpentitus?" she asked. Was it Hiccup's imagination or did she stress the word '_he_'?

"Yes. We do. Have you seen him?"

"He's tall," added Astrid, leaning over, "Plenty of blond hair that sticks out like straw, shaped like an ice cube, rides a Gronkle."

The young chieftain lowered her gaze to the table and stayed silent as if remembering. "I'm sorry," she said finally, eyes still downcast. "I don't know anyone by that description. But," she added brightly, looking up again, "If it is true that he has a Gronkle, you have nothing to fear. Gronkles are quite hardy."

"Yeah, Gronkles are strong," Snotlout said, leaning over with a twist of his shoulders, "but have you ever seen a Monstrous Nightmare? That's mine over there. His name is Hookfang. He's the best dragon in the whole world."

"He is quite magnificent," agreed Gwendrid politely.

"Some may say he is magnificent," Snotlout continued easily, "But I find some of the human creatures even more so. Like you, beautiful."

Gwendrid's face became like ice. Not meaning that she was cold, but as if her mind had gone to another place. Her lips were frozen in place and although her eyes blinked steadily, they looked at Snotlout blankly, making him feel more uneasy than any of Astrid's witty comebacks.

"Um…" He found it difficult to go on. "Umm… I think that you could do much better than staying here. How would you like riding on the back of the wind with someone who really appreciates your beauty?"

Gwendrid stayed as still as a marble statue.

"Uh… how about… uh…"

Still nothing.

Thoroughly creeped out, Snotlout mumbled some excuse about having to see to Hookfang and fled the table.

As soon as he had left, the blank look left Gwendrid's face. She gave a faint triumphant smile and continued eating.

"Wow," exclaimed Astrid in a hushed voice. "You have got to teach me that! I've never seen him so freaked out in all my life!"

Gwendrid giggled as if she was a little girl again. "Yes, he was rather startled, wasn't he?" The two girls laughed.

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt," said Hiccup, "But we really need a cure to Vorpentitus. Do any of you Wanderers happen to have a red potato that we can cook up?"

The solemn, chiefly look came back to Gwendrid. "I am very sorry, Hiccup," she said. "We have no red potato."

Hiccup sighed. "Then, I guess we keep looking."

"Not until tomorrow!" cried Gwendrid fervently. "A great storm rages outside. You cannot leave until tomorrow."

Hiccup was a bit startled by this outburst, but was willing enough to stay the night. Some Wanderers took them to a hut where they would stay the night and left them with their good will. Hiccup, tired as he was, succumbed to his weariness and dropped down on the soft furs provided for their bedding.

"I get this one!" shouted Ruffnut, jumping on a pile.

"No you don't! I do!"

A rough and tumble fight occurred, and who knew how it might have ended if Tuffnut hadn't suddenly shouted, "OW! Ruffnut, stop poking!"

"I'm not poking! It was this dagger." She pulled out a knife with a bone handle.

"Hey, that's weird," said Tuffnut, taking it from her and examining it with a shrewd eye. "This dagger looks exactly like the one Fishlegs has."

"What?" exclaimed Hiccup, sitting upright with a wince.

"Oh, yeah," Ruffnut leaned closer to the blade in her brother's hand. "It even has that nick in it that Fishlegs' dagger got when he threw it against that rock wall when the mad Deadly Nadder was attacking him, remember?"

"The guy can scream like a girl."

"Here, let me see that." Hiccup took the knife, looking it over carefully.

"Huh." Snotlout peered at it. "I could swear that that is exactly like Fishlegs' knife."

"That's because it is Fishlegs' knife," Hiccup said with decision.

"But Gwendrid said that…"

"That she hadn't seen him, I know. Let's bring this to her and see if it jogs any memories."

* * *

The dragon riders went through the village, Snotlout whining, "Couldn't it have waited 'till morning? I was really looking forward to some sleep."

"Well, so was I," Hiccup said grouchily. "But this can't wait until morning."

Gwendrid looked up as they approached. Her face showed confusion at their hard looks. "Is something not to your liking?" she asked.

For answer, Hiccup held out the blade. She looked it over with some scrutiny, but did not appear to recognize it. "This knife belongs to our friend." Hiccup said.

Now something flashed over her face: recognition and fear.

"I already told you," she answered firmly, "I have not seen Fishlegs."

"Fishlegs…" Hiccup said slowly, "How did you know his name was Fishlegs? We never told you."

Now the fear shone bright in the girl's eyes. She drew back as Hiccup advanced menacingly. "What did you do to him?" he yelled.

Gwendrid's back was against the wall. She closed her eyes and sighed, shoulders slumping. "Alright," she said softly. "I will tell you, although I promised to keep silent. Sit down, please."

Warily, the dragon riders sat. Gwendrid did not, but paced back and forth. "Fishlegs did come, but not on his own accord," she began. "We found him, frozen and nearly dead on the wastes. We brought him and his dragon to our village, gave them food and rest. Fishlegs wanted to know – as you did – where to find a red potato."

"Did you tell him?" Astrid asked eagerly.

"Yes. We told him."

"Where?"

"Do you have a map?" Hiccup handed her the one Gobber had given him. Gently spreading it out, Gwendrid pointed to a spot in the 'Unknown' area. "Here is the island of the tribe of Hysterics. They are ruled by their chief, Norbert. Rendered by my folk, Norbert the Nutjob."

Tuffnut snorted. "Nutjob?" he chuckled. "Why did you call him that?"

"Because Norbert is mad." Gwendrid's voice seemed to echo about the cavern. "Utterly, insanely mad. He has killed many of my kindred, keeping no prisoners. Those he has kept are used as bait to trap in more, which he kills with his gigantic double bladed axe. I have sent many people to reclaim those prisoners. None have ever returned."

A chill went down Hiccup's spine. Toothless' green eyes looked up at him in concern and Hiccup patted him on the back. The twins weren't laughing anymore.

"It is said that Norbert's folk, the Hysterics, keep one red potato to replenish their crop for the coming year. I do not know where he keeps it, but I do know he has one."

"And that's where you sent Fishlegs?" demanded Hiccup.

"Yes."

"If none have ever returned, then why did you send him?"

"None of my warriors have ever returned, but your friend has a dragon!" cried Gwendrid, leaning her hands on a nearby table and looking at them with such intensity in her eyes that Hiccup felt like he should back up. "A dragon could take care of Norbert's army once and for all!"

"You wanted him to kill an army?" scoffed Snotlout. "You really don't know him all that well."

"No." Gwendrid's strength gave out and she sank to a chair. "I did not want him to defeat an army with one dragon. That would be suicide. I pleaded with him to rescue my sister. She was captured by Norbert last season, used for bait to trap us. I barely escaped from that place with my life." Her eyes grew cloudy as she remembered and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling. "Eggengarde," she whispered under her breath. "My little sister Eggengarde. She was my only family left. My hope. My life." She laid her head in her lap and softly sobbed.

Hiccup rose and came to kneel beside her. "We'll go there tomorrow," he told her gently. "We'll bring back Eggengarde and Fishlegs. Don't worry, Gwendrid. We'll bring back your sister."

Gwendrid lifted her head. Tears were on her cheeks, but she smiled. "Thank you, Hiccup," she whispered. "With your coming, you have given me hope."

"Just one more question," Hiccup said as she calmed herself. "Why did you tell us that you didn't know him?"

"He made me promise that if I saw you, I would not tell where he had gone. He told me to keep you here, safe."

"Why?"

Gwendrid hesitated. "If I told you, you would be in danger."

"I don't care about danger. Tell me."

Slowly, sadly, Gwendrid shook her head back and forth. "I am sorry, Hiccup. I cannot tell. I have betrayed Fishlegs once by telling you where he has gone. Please, don't ask me to do it again."

Seeing the tears in her eyes, Hiccup did not have the heart to demand anything more of her. "Please," she said, rising to her feet and looking like a chief once more, "go back to your hut. Sleep. You will need all your energy for the coming day."

After they had left, Gwendrid sat back in her chair, eyes gazing blankly before her. "No," she said, "I was right not to tell them. But if he had pressed me… but he didn't. And it is better this way."

* * *

**A/N: Hey again! This chapter was a little longer than the other ones, which should keep you satiated for the next week.**

**CurlyFriDays: I would apologize for the cliffhangers, but the original document had no chapter breaks, so any end-of-chapter cliffhangers were completely intentional and I am not sorry at all. Apologies for my lack of apology.**

**Guest: I'm so glad that you're looking forward to more! There will be nine chapters in all, so hopefully that'll tell you how long you have left to suffer.**

**Lilypup345: Yay! I'm glad you think I'm doing well!**

**Until next Tuesday, my friends. PastSelf out.**


	5. Chapter 5

"Alright, gang," said Hiccup, mounting Toothless, "We have one more day to find the potato and cure Fishlegs."

"It would be a whole lot easier if he found it all on his own," grumbled Snotlout, who had woken up with a headache.

"But he hasn't returned yet," continued Astrid.

"And for all we know, he could have been captured," Hiccup finished. "So, we have to go find him, the potato, and Gwendrid's sister. You ready, gang?"

"Yeah, we're ready," cheered Tuffnut.

The dragons leapt into the air and headed north, towards the island of the Hysterics and the potato.

The air was crisp and cold but the wind had died down for the moment. Even without the wind, Hiccup was freezing. He shivered in the saddle, glancing about for any sign of the island.

It was late afternoon when they saw it. Dark in the distance, shrouded in shadow – the island of the Hysterics. Hiccup couldn't help feeling like it was an enormous black sea dragon waiting there in the ocean to swallow him up. He shivered again. Thoughts like that wouldn't help them get the potato.

"Alright, gang," he called back to his companions, "we have to wait for nightfall before sneaking in."

"Over there!" shouted Ruffnut. "I see a cave or something!"

The dragons were brought down safely into a sheltered enclosure. The riders started a fire that they huddled by gratefully while they watched the sun sink lower and lower. After the last rays were gone, Hiccup said to move out.

The dragons glided noiselessly over the island. The snow had started to fall again and a thin fog had settled over the ocean. No stars were to be seen.

A banquet was being held in the great hall and the lights of fires and the sounds of boisterous laughing could be seen and heard therein. The dragons alighted on the roof, making little noise. Hiccup dismounted and Astrid helped him to pry up a large roof tile so they could peer in.

Noise and calamity greeted their ears. A song was being sung from the corner of the room – something about a girl and her lover – and a food fight was going on.

"Where's Nutjob?" asked Tuffnut, squeezing in between Hiccup and Astrid.

"He must be in that throne over there where we can't see." Hiccup answered.

"Huh. He would be." Snotlout shivered and sneezed. "So, what are we going to do now, leader supreme? Fearless chieftain? One-legged conqueror?"

"Well…" Hiccup tried to think. The light from down below was hurting his eyes and his arms were straining from the roof tile's weight.

"I can almost see him," said Tuffnut, leaning over farther, nearly putting his head under the roof in his effort to see Norbert.

"Careful, Tuff."

"I am being careful!"

No sooner had these words been spoken than the snow beneath Tuffnut's hand gave way. Hiccup reached out to grab him, but instead of halting Tuffnut's fall, he was dragged down with his friend.

Hiccup fell down… down… down….

SPLAT!

CRASH!

Tuffnut fell onto a large turkey that had just been brought out and Hiccup fell half onto the table, upsetting a large bowl of soup onto his head. He could dimly see the light from outside and Astrid's head silhouetted in the small square of open space. Then the light blinked out.

Tuffnut, who had had a softer landing, immediately leaped up into the suddenly silent crowd and shouted, "Hands up above your heads! We may be surrounded, but we are generous Vikings and will allow you to surrender peaceably before we rip you to shreds!"

There followed a few more seconds of surprised silence before the Hysterics, as one, leaped forward to drag Hiccup and Tuffnut to their leader's feet. Hiccup had a faint impression of something wet running into his mouth. He licked it experimentally. Onion soup. Delicious.

As he was forced to kneel before the throne, his head began to clear slowly. He became aware that the situation that they were in was very bad indeed. For before him was none other than Norbert the Nutjob himself.

Norbert was broad and muscled like Hiccup's father, but that was where the similarities ended. Norbert's face was hard chiseled and scowling like a thundercloud on a rainy day. One of his eyes was bigger than the other, and in his gigantic hand was held a gigantic axe, about the size of Hiccup himself.

"What do you mean," he screamed, face a livid red with rage, "by dropping down on our festivities like that?"

"We didn't mean to," said Hiccup.

"I didn't ask if you meant to, I asked what you meant by it!" Apparently, the man had no volume lower than scream.

"We were just looking for something."

"And what were you looking for?"

"A red potato." The room became once again silent. "We heard that you had one and we were wondering if it was okay with you if we just… you know… borrowed it... you know."

Norbert threw back his head and laughed. The room laughed with him. "Is that all?" he roared.

"No, actually. We were looking for two of our friends. Fishlegs – he would probably have come riding a Gronkle dragon – and a little girl. Umm… Eggengarde! That was her name."

Norbert's eyes narrowed. "Is that all?" he asked again, voice deadly quiet.

"Uh… yes. Yes, that was it."

Slow as a shark, Norbert reached out his hand and grasped Hiccup by the neck. "Has anybody told you," he hissed, "that the Hysterics do not like visitors?"

"Yes, I had heard that…"

"And have you also been informed that I am completely mad?"

"Umm, yes…?" Hiccup was finding it difficult to breathe.

"And that we do not keep prisoners?"

"Well… yes, but…"

"Then you were well informed!" roared Norbert, throwing Hiccup backwards and pounding his fists on his chest, "I _am_ completely mad! And I _don't_ like visitors and I do _not_ keep prisoners! ... Unless…" Here he stopped to stroke his beard and settle back down on his throne. "Unless they can be used to bring in more that I can take apart with my axe." He fondled it as he turned to Hiccup. "Are there any more of you small children about?"

"Of course not!" cried Hiccup.

"Of course." Norbert nodded his head. "It would be stupid for you to come, but it would be doubly stupid for many of you to come!" these last words were spoken in a shout. "Check the rooftop!" he screamed to his followers. "Check the village! Check the hills and valleys! Search everywhere!"

"I'm telling you, there isn't anybody else!" shouted Hiccup, filled with rage.

"Then why do you keep telling me that there isn't?" inquired Norbert, leaning his head close.

"Maybe because he's telling the truth?" suggested Tuffnut with a cheeky smile.

Norbert leaned back and put his hand up in the air. "Put them in the wooden cage!" he shouted, pointing at a cage dangling several feet in the air. The two boys were stuffed in and the door was slammed and locked. The feasting continued as if nothing had happened.

"Great," growled Hiccup, ruffling his hair vigorously. "Great, just great, Tuffnut. Why did you have to go and do that?"

"Hey, it wasn't my fault that the stupid snow decided to collapse just then."

"Bear-girl!" cried Norbert, observing the boys with interest, "Our guests are beginning to scuffle! Bring them something to eat!"

From a dark corner that nobody had noticed came a small girl. Hiccup stopped advancing toward Tuffnut and gaped with pity. Up above on the rooftop, Astrid gasped. "The poor girl," she whispered.

The girl's clothing had once been white, but dust and dirt had colored it brown. The polar bear hood was pulled up over her head, but several stringy strands of dark hair drifted out. Her cheeks were dirty and smudged. Her eyes were large and her face thin with hunger. Manacles clinked from her feet as she walked. Even though she could not have been more than eight years old, her large eyes held fear and sorrow as if she had been three times her age.

The girl walked up to the table, picked up two plates of food and came over to Hiccup and Tuffnut. Now that she was closer, Hiccup could see a resemblance to Gwendrid.

"Here," the girl said in a soft voice, handing over the food. "This is for you."

"Eggengarde?" asked Hiccup.

She barely glanced up. "You came to rescue me." She said it like a well-known fact. "You should not have come. Many of my kindred have tried to come. They have all been killed by Norbert."

"Wow," said Tuffnut, gawping at her. "You sound like you don't want to be rescued."

"I do," the girl said in the same hollow tone, "but it will never happen."

"We will rescue you, Eggengarde," Hiccup vowed. Eggengarde didn't say a word. She merely looked down at her chained hands. "Um, Eggengarde," Hiccup said, "Do you happen to know of a prisoner…"

"I am not supposed to talk about prisoners," said the girl, looking up.

"Well, just talk about them just this once, OK? We're looking for a prisoner who came riding on a Gronkle."

The girl's eyes widened. "Is this someone who is about this long," she stretched out her arms, "this tall," she raised her hand way above her head, "blond hair, green eyes, silver helmet, and loves dragons, just like me, and knows everything about all of them?" She looked eager.

"Yes, that's him!" said Hiccup in excitement.

"No," the girl shook her head. "I don't know anyone like that."

"What?" Hiccup exclaimed, "But you just described him!"

"I'm not allowed to talk about prisoners," the girl said again, more firmly. As she turned to leave, she said softly, almost to herself, "If there was such a prisoner like that, I think I would have liked him."

"Well," said Tuffnut, chomping down on a chicken leg, "I don't blame her for being confused. There's probably lots of Vikings out there that look like Fishlegs."

Hiccup gave him a strange look.

"Well, you never know," Tuffnut shrugged and devoted himself to his meal. Hiccup's appetite had left him and he stood, leaning his head against the cage's bars.


	6. Chapter 6

At about midnight, the feasting began to slow. Hysterics were dropping down and snoring in their chairs. Behind Hiccup, Tuffnut drooped against the bars and slept. Hiccup couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the little girl Eggengarde standing before him and saying, "No, I don't know anyone like that."

Maybe Norbert had already killed Fishlegs! Maybe there was no potato! Maybe they would be dead by the next morning! Maybe…

A slow creak sounded from the end of the hall. Hiccup jerked his head up just in time to see the great wooden door open, letting his friends enter.

"Alright. Soft glow," commanded Snotlout in a hoarse whisper. Hookfang obligingly lit his back on fire – a feat that Monstrous Nightmares were able to accomplish.

"Hiccup!" cried Astrid in a whisper. She ran toward the cage, making it swing as she put her hands against it and jolting Tuffnut from his slumber.

"Avast there!" he cried loudly. Everyone shushed him.

"Where's the key?" Astrid asked Hiccup.

"I don't know. We don't have enough time to find out. Toothless, plasma blast. Carefully, Bud."

Acting as instructed, Toothless let out a small, purple-colored flash that seared the lock from the cage. Toothless pranced about joyfully as Hiccup climbed from the cage, coming over to nuzzle him with his cheek.

"Yeah, I missed you too, Bud." Hiccup smiled at his dragon before turning to the others and commanding, "You look for the potato. Toothless and I will look for Fishlegs and Eggengarde."

"On it!" Snotlout gave him a thumbs-up.

"And whatever you do," Hiccup added, "don't wake them up."

"Whatever you say," shrugged Ruffnut. "Although waking them up would be _much_ more fun than sneaking around."

Her dragon gave something like a sneeze.

"My sentiments exactly," Ruffnut agreed, preparing to sneak.

Hiccup and Toothless crept silently through the halls. Toothless discovered a heavy door that opened to steps leading down. Grabbing a torch from the wall, Hiccup followed the corridor.

After going down for a while, the floor evened out and Hiccup could see several cages with iron bars stacked along the ground. Chained to the wall at the end of the corridor was Eggengarde. Her head was resting on her hand, elbow propped on the stone wall. Her bear skin cloak was tightly wrapped around her like a blanket, but she still looked terribly cold.

"Eggengarde," whispered Hiccup. Even though no guards were in sight, he couldn't help whispering.

The girl stirred and moaned. Hiccup came toward her softly with Toothless following close behind.

"It's alright, Eggengarde," he told her. "We've come to rescue you. You can go home now."

The girl's eyes came fully open and she sat up, silently watching them.

"OK, Toothless. Small plasma blast, Bud."

Toothless shot a bolt at the manacle holding Eggengarde's wrist. It popped off with a clang and Eggengarde looked at her hand in amazement. "That chain has not come off in so long," she whispered, then looked at Hiccup joyfully, showing gaps where she had lost teeth. She leaned over to the cage beside her and poked at what Hiccup had previously thought to be a pile of furs. "Wake up," the little girl whispered. "Wake up, your friend is here! You were right! He has come to rescue us!"

"What?" a groan met their ears.

Hiccup, his heart jumping into his throat, told Toothless to open the cage. Another bolt and it was open. Inside, a figure rose to his feet.

"Fishlegs!" Hiccup exclaimed.

"Hiccup! You finally came!"

Looking at his friend, Hiccup felt a strange feeling creep over him, and not a nice one. The feeling was anger.

"How could you do this, Fishlegs?" he yelled.

"What?" Fishlegs looked startled, as did Eggengarde.

"What do you mean '_what_'? You slipped outside on someone else's watch, we spent all our time looking for you, not knowing if you were hurt or dead… Fishlegs, you can't do something like that!"

"Hiccup, I… I'm sorry."

"Oh, you're sorry, are you?" hollered Hiccup in a tone he had never used with anyone before. Behind him, taking his cue from his master, Toothless growled menacingly. "As if that makes everything all better! It's all your fault we're here in the first place! We would never be here if you hadn't had the gall to get stung by the Venomous Vorpent in the first place!"

"What do you mean by…" Fishlegs stopped and a look of extreme surprise flashed over his face. "You think _I_ got stung?"

"Think you got stung? Fishlegs, by now I know for a fact you got stung!"

"Hiccup," Now Fishlegs looked as patient as could be. "Let's just go back to the others and you can get some…"

"No, Fishlegs," Hiccup pushed off his helping hands and glared. "You can't go around doing this. As of today, you are off the team."

"What? Hiccup, no!"

"Hiccup, please," Eggengarde exclaimed, coming over and clasping her hands to her heart.

"And as for you," Hiccup growled, still looking mad as a thundercloud, "we need to get you out of here. Fishlegs," he barked, "Get on Toothless."

"But what about Meatlug?"

"I'll find Meatlug. You get the girl out of here. More importantly, get yourself out of here!" He flung an arm out at them. "Go!" he bellowed.

"I didn't get stung, Hiccup," whimpered Fishlegs, climbing onto Toothless' back and pulling on Eggengarde in front of him.

Hiccup didn't answer. He just barked a command to Toothless, who raced out of the dungeon at top speed, out the great hall, and into the night.

* * *

Half of Toothless' tail fin had been shot off three years ago when he had first met Hiccup. Since then, Hiccup had created a fake tail for him that he could control from his back. Hiccup was the only one who could control the mechanism, so Toothless was forced to gallop along the ground. Fishlegs and Eggengarde jolted along on his back.

"He is the one you were talking about?" asked Eggengarde.

"Yes," Fishlegs sighed.

"He has got it badly," she nodded. "I have seen it many times. It only gets this bad if they travel far. Fishlegs, you have got to turn this dragon around!"

"I'll try." Fishlegs reached toward Toothless' head, whispering soft, encouraging words, but Toothless' jaws snapped and Fishlegs had to jerk back before he was bitten.

Just then, the wind began to pick up again. For a few minutes, Toothless flailed and skidded, trying desperately to go forward. The wind won the fight, and Toothless, Fishlegs, and Eggengarde tumbled to the cold, hard ice.

Eggengarde trembled violently and pressed herself against Fishlegs. "I'm very frightened," she whimpered. "Listen to the wind! It is a snow dragon coming to consume us!"

Fishlegs was just as frightened as Eggengarde, but tried bravely not to show it. "Don't worry, Eggengarde," he said, clutching her close. He tried to think of something else to say that would console her, and finally touched on it. "We're Vikings," he said, pushing her away so he could look in her eyes, "and Vikings can train dragons."

"Even howling ice ones?" she asked, a smile sparking.

"Even howling ice ones."

"How?"

"You howl back." He lifted his head and let loose a yell. Eggengarde laughed, pulled her hood forward and gave a bear's growl. "Woah, Eggengarde," laughed Fishlegs, "You almost scared me!"

Eggengarde giggled and pulled her hood over her eyes so he couldn't see how pleased she was.

Both Vikings became as stiff and cold as ice when the noise hit them. A keening, crying howl from directly behind them. Not the wind. A real live animal.

Toothless.

He was howling like he wanted to be the wind, pupils dilating to their square shape, then constricting to thin arrows. Dilate, constrict, dilate, constrict. Over and over again. Toothless shook his head back and forth wildly, teeth flashing out and retracting faster than the eye could see. His claws scraped on the ice.

"What is wrong with him?" asked Eggengarde in horror.

"I don't know." Fishlegs tried to approach Toothless cautiously, like Hiccup would. "Toothless," he wheedled. "What's wrong?"

Toothless' wild gaze centered on Fishlegs and his eyes narrowed. Like an angry serpent, he reared up. Fishlegs gave a yell and barely dived out of the way before a plasma blast seared the air. Toothless leaped about like he had stepped on a porcupine, shooting bolts all over the place. Fishlegs and Eggengarde sheltered behind a snowbank.

"The dragon has it too," said Eggengarde over the wind.

"What?" Fishlegs asked, barely paying attention.

"Vorpentitus! The black dragon has Vorpentitus!"

"What!" Fishlegs exclaimed again, but looking back at Toothless left no doubt. Toothless had Vorpentitus. He had gone back to pawing at his eyes and screaming, leaving an opening.

"What do we do?" whimpered Eggengarde.

Fishlegs tried to think. _What would Hiccup do?_ He asked himself over and over. _What would Hiccup do?_

_He would tell Toothless the truth._

An idea flashed to mind and he turned to Eggengarde. "Stay here," he commanded. Stepping out into the open, he inched toward the angry dragon. "Toothless," he called. His voice squeaked and he tried again. "Toothless, listen to me."

Toothless' burning eyes fixed on him, pupils turning to slits in a split second. His teeth gritted.

"Toothless, we need your help," Fishlegs tried to reason. "Hiccup has Vorpentitus."

Somewhere deep in Toothless' demented brain, a memory sparked. Hiccup was his master – his friend. He had Vorpentitus? He was in trouble?

Seeing Toothless relax, Fishlegs took another step forward. Toothless, still under the effects of Vorpent Venom, growled and curled up again. Fishlegs stopped, whimpered, and continued in a slightly higher voice. "I knew about it ever since it stung him at the very beginning. Remember when we first saw the Vorpent? Do you remember that, Toothless? When you rolled over on it, it stung him. I tried to tell him several times on the way back, but when Gothi said he would die if I told him, I kept it a secret. We need your help to get back to Hiccup, Toothless."

Again the brief falter. Again the contest of memory and madness.

"We need to get back to him," said Fishlegs, taking some more steps forward. Toothless shook with confusion. What would he choose?

"If you don't help us, Toothless," Fishlegs said, creeping up close enough to touch him, "then Hiccup will die."

The madness abated completely. Toothless' eyes became clear and he nuzzled Fishlegs, knocking him backwards in the snow. "It's alright, Eggengarde," called Fishlegs, laughing. "He'll take us back!"

Eggengarde came forward hesitantly. She stood before the dragon. "I've never seen a Nightfury before," she commented. "He is beautiful when he isn't being crazy."

Toothless knelt down and allowed Fishlegs and Eggengarde to climb back on. "Bring us to Hiccup," commanded Fishlegs. With a roar, Toothless sprang forward. He galloped across the ice with a speed that would have rivaled a horse. No matter what, Toothless was determined to get back to Hiccup. He was determined to save his friend.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, I know. I posted this a day late. My excuse is that I am tired and a little bit stressed and busy as all get-out. Sorry for the late chapter.**

**Thank you all for the encouragement! I'll try to remember to post on the RIGHT day next week. See you then!**


	7. Chapter 7

Back at the island of the Hysterics, Hiccup was still suffering from the Vorpent Venom. He had traveled so far and so long that he was already quite mad and strange in the head. After sending away Fishlegs, Toothless, and Eggengarde, he stomped up the stairs back to the main hall. On the way, he found a room that Meatlug had been trapped in. Unchaining her from the wall, he growled, "Come on."

Traveling on up the stairs to the main hall, he managed to calm himself somewhat, so that when they actually got there, he was able to talk to Astrid without shouting. "Have you found the potato?"

"Yes, but we have a problem. But before either of those, we have something to ask you."

"Sure, Astrid. What is it?"

"We saw Fishlegs and the little girl go riding past on Toothless a few minutes ago. What's going on?"

"I told Toothless to get them out of here." The rage was beginning to bubble once again.

"But Hiccup, we need to give Fishlegs the potato as soon as we get it."

"Actually, no, we don't," corrected Hiccup. "We need to roast it first, which we will do at our campsite. Now, where is the potato?"

Astrid, wondering a bit at Hiccup's face, which seemed to be angrier than usual, pointed toward Norbert. "He keeps it in his pocket."

"His pocket?" Snotlout snorted, "Who keeps a potato in their pocket?"

"He probably put it there after we mentioned that we wanted it. Alright, who's best at stealing?"

Snotlout and Astrid immediately pointed at the twins. Tuffnut pointed to his sister. "I cannot tell a lie," he said, "But Ruff is definitely best at snatching things."

"Yeah," said Ruffnut. "Like this." She pulled out a bag of coins.

"Hey! That's mine!" Tuffnut yelled, snatching it back. He was hastily shushed by the others.

"Alright, Ruff," Hiccup rubbed his hands together anxiously. "You're up."

"And try to do a good job and not wake him up," added Snotlout, glaring at Tuffnut.

"Stop giving me so many rules," Ruffnut grimaced. "It's really stifling my creative spark."

Everyone held their breath as Ruffnut reached into the mad chieftain's pocket. Snotlout felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead and beginning to trickle down his face. Hiccup's hands were shaking and he had to fight the urge to shout, "Hurry up!"

Snotlout did it for him. "Hurry up, Ruffnut!" he hollered. "Even I can do better than that! Here," he shoved Ruffnut out of the way and yanked the potato out of Norbert's pocket.

"Hey!" yelled Ruffnut.

"Nobody does that to my sister!" shouted Tuffnut.

"Well then, obviously, I'm nobody," Snotlout smirked, a glint in his eyes, "because I just did."

"You are so going to pay for that!"

Before Hiccup or Astrid could yell, "Don't!" Tuffnut and Ruffnut launched themselves at Snotlout and the three of them landed – shouting and punching – straight in Norbert's lap.

Norbert awoke with a start and a yell that woke everyone else up. The five guilty Vikings froze where they were.

"Ah-ha!" screamed Norbert. "Thought you could all escape, could you? Well, now you are about to feel the full hospitality of the Hysterical tribe."

"Run!" shouted Hiccup, wheeling around on his metal leg and sprinting towards the door.

Tuffnut and Ruffnut got away quite easily, but Snotlout was grabbed by the scruff of the neck by the crazy chieftain.

Snotlout would usually be quivering in fear, but to Hiccup's surprise, he turned around abruptly and hit Norbert square in the nose. "Take that, you slimy son of a scallop," he shouted.

Norbert screamed in fury.

"Oh, Thor," Hiccup swore and dove back into the hall. "Come on, guys. We have to save Snotlout!"

"Do we have to?" moaned Ruffnut, making an abrupt about face.

"Unfortunately, we do." Astrid drew her axe and threw herself into the fighting.

"Have a salad?" cried Tuffnut, climbing up on the table and kicking a salad bowl into a Hysteric's face. "How about some fish?" he slapped a flounder across another's face.

"Oh," exclaimed Ruff, getting into the groove, "How about some chicken?" she plopped the half-eaten chicken carcass over a Hysteric's head.

"That's really nice," said Tuff, "But when it comes to drinks, I really prefer good old-fashioned ale," and he upended a barrel of it over the floor. Several Hysterics slipped and lay sprawling on the floor.

Just then, Hookfang, Stormfly, Barf, and Belch came bursting through the ceiling. As Hookfang lit himself on fire in the way that Monstrous Nightmares were apt to do, a spark drifted down to the liquid on the floor. The room went up in flame.

"Nailed it," smirked Tuffnut, giving his sister a high-five.

At the other end of the room, Snotlout was battling furiously. The potato in one hand and a sword in the other, he was alternately shouting insults and parrying blows. Norbert was hopping mad. He was swinging his giant axe around in a fury, but he just couldn't seem to get a cut in at the annoying teenager who had the gall to punch him in the nose.

"Snotlout!" shouted Hiccup, running forward, dodging the fire that Tuff and Ruff had started. "We need to get out of here!"

"No way!" cried Snotlout, jumping out of the way just in time as Norbert's axe came chopping down. "I've got him right where I want him!"

"What, driving an axe into your skull? If you hadn't noticed, the room is on fire!"

Snotlout had not noticed. Now that Hiccup had turned his attention to the precarious situation that he was in, his concentration faltered. This was the opportunity Norbert was looking for. He heaved his axe up over his head and prepared to deliver the death stroke.

It is not possible to live after you have been cleaved in two by an enormous axe held by a madman. Continuing on from that fact, Snotlout would not have survived if that blow had successfully been delivered. As it was, Hookfang – who had been trying to find his master through the flames – finally discovered where he was and shot a blast of flame straight at Norbert's hand. Norbert dropped his axe with a screech and Hookfang grabbed Snotlout and the two of them were gone out the hole in the roof before Norbert could recover.

Now Hiccup was the one in danger. The smoke was becoming critically thick and he was coughing and sneezing like crazy. To make matters even worse, Norbert was up again and reaching for his axe. Hiccup could hardly see him through his streaming eyes.

Just as Hiccup was about to welcome Valhalla, Meatlug came down out of nowhere and snatched him up in her claws. As she took off, Norbert, with a violent scream, gave one last wild swipe with his axe. He missed, but Meatlug – who wasn't the most easily controlled dragon and tended to drift anyway – slammed into a beam as she tried to avoid the deadly swing. The roof, weakened as it was, caved in on the screaming Viking, and Hiccup and Meatlug went up out of the fire and into the night sky.

"Hiccup!" cried Astrid in relief as soon as he landed safely on the ground. She reached in to give him a big hug. "You're so warm."

"Well, I was almost burned to a crisp. Thanks, Meatlug."

Meatlug gave him something like a smile and wagged her stumpy tail.

"So, now what?" asked Astrid.

"Now, we get back to our camp. You do have the red potato, right, Snotlout?"

Snotlout wordlessly held up the potato.

"Good." Hiccup took the potato and gave it to Astrid. "You do know how to cook it, right?"

"Well, it would be better with salt and butter…"

"Isn't everything?" said Ruffnut.

"No, that's not true," Tuffnut countered, "I once tried putting salt and butter in my hair. It did not taste good."

"…but I can boil it," Astrid finished.

"Good. Let's go, gang. We need to get the potato to Fishlegs."

"Just one question, Mr. everything-is-going-to-be-OK-now," said Snotlout, rubbing his arms and shivering. "How will we get the potato to Fishlegs when he's out there?" he swung an arm out over the vast ocean.

"Toothless is a smart dragon. He'll bring Fishlegs in."

"Oh," muttered Snotlout, mounting Hookfang. "Oh, sure. The smarty-pants dragon will bring in the sad victim of the Vorpent bite. Huh. If I was the one bitten, I would turn that dragon around and tell it 'Get me back there! I need that potato and I need to get it first.' That's what I would tell him."

"Come on, Snotlout!"

"Alright, can't I rest for just a moment!" he yelled before grumbling to his dragon, "No respect, that's what. They really need a big scare in their lives to loosen them up a little."

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked the plot twist in the last chapter! Cressida Cowell was always really good at those, so I decided to follow in her footsteps a little bit, but not make it enough to just have Hiccup be the one stung by the Vorpent. I've always liked plot twists, myself.**

**Romantica 123: Yeah, Gothi did agree that 'One' of the riders was stung... but was she only agreeing with that to throw them off the trail? Or could she not recognize the signs in a dragon? We shall never know.**

**But she was throwing them off the trail.**

**Y'all have a great week, guys! PastSelf out.**


	8. Chapter 8

Hiccup hovered over Astrid anxiously all the time she was cooking up the potato. "Is it done yet?" he asked.

"No, it's not done yet," Astrid said impatiently. "And it wasn't done the last time you asked me, or the time before that, or the time before that, or the last fifty million times before that!"

"OK, OK," Hiccup said, settling down for a few seconds before getting up to pace again. He rubbed his hands together, partially from anxiety, partially from the cold.

"Relax, Hiccup," said Snotlout, reclining against his dragon with ease. "It's not like that potato will never cook."

"It might never." Hiccup rubbed his hands together so hard that it nearly generated sparks. "The potato might never cook, and then where will we be?"

"Calm down, Hiccup," Astrid told him. "The potato will cook, don't you worry. What's wrong? You've never been so fidgety before."

"I can't help it. I can't help thinking that if something goes wrong it will be all my fault."

"It would be," Tuffnut assured him. Ruffnut punched her brother in the arm.

"Don't be silly, Hiccup. See, the potato is done."

"Finally," Hiccup gasped.

Astrid rolled the potato out of the pot and onto a platter. She cut it open and sniffed the steam that rose from its interior. "See? Now all we need is…"

"…Fishlegs." Hiccup finished as his Nightfury came flapping unsteadily in with Fishlegs and Eggengarde on his back.

Toothless galloped toward Hiccup, making anxious whimpering noises. "I missed you too, Bud," Hiccup said, letting his dragon nuzzle him.

"Hiccup," cried Fishlegs, "There's something I have to tell you!"

"Fishlegs! Good, come here."

"Seriously, Hiccup…"

"Come on, we need to get you the potato. Astrid, bring it."

"Hiccup-!"

Before he could say any more, Astrid was stuffing boiled potato in his mouth. He forced himself to swallow before yelling, "I don't have Vorpentitus!"

"Well, you shouldn't anymore." Hiccup crossed his arms like a protective mother.

"Hiccup, the Vorpent didn't come anywhere near me. I saw where it went. I saw who it stung."

A few moments passed to let this information sink in. "So," Snotlout said slowly, "You're going to tell us that you don't have Vorpentitus, somebody else does, and you weren't acting crazy when you ran out on your own into the storm? Is that it?"

"You know me, Snotlout," Fishlegs replied, an angry light still dancing in his eyes. "Would I go out into a blizzard with nobody but Meatlug if I didn't have a good reason?"

"Time is ticking," Hiccup reminded them, "So, Fishlegs, if you don't have Vorpentitus, well, then who did?"

Fishlegs bit his lip, looking down. "You do, Hiccup."

Hiccup burst out laughing. "I don't have Vorpentitus!" he cried. "Look at me; I've never been better!"

"Hiccup, you yelled at me and kicked me out of the dragon riders," Fishlegs reminded him softly.

Astrid turned to Hiccup. "You did?"

Hiccup's face turned pink. "I don't mean it now," he protested.

"And you've had a fever…"

"I don't have a…" Hiccup protested weakly. Astrid held a hand to his forehead and nodded, eyebrows raised.

"And you've been getting angry really easily," Fishlegs finished.

"I…I…I have Vorpentitus?" asked Hiccup, the facts finally sinking in.

As Hiccup finally realized what was going on, the venom began to pulse through his veins. A strange flush crept through his face and his hands began to shake. "Oh, Thor," he muttered vaguely, right before flopping to the ground, stiff as a board.

"Give him the potato, Astrid," yelled Snotlout.

"Not all of it," warned Fishlegs, "There is someone else with Vorpentitus!"

"Who?" cried Astrid, potato inches from Hiccup's mouth.

"Just give him the potato now, we'll deal with it later!"

Astrid spooned the slightly cooled white potato meat into Hiccup's open mouth. Hiccup gasped slightly and swallowed it. His face turned to its usual tone and he stopped shaking. His chest rose and fell as he panted for air. "Oh, Thor," he moaned. "Oh, Thor, oh, THOR! Fishlegs, did you really have to cut it that close?"

"Well, you're alive, aren't you?" mumbled Fishlegs.

With Astrid's assistance, Hiccup rose to his feet. He brushed himself off and looked at his friend. "Fishlegs," he said grandly, "I never did mean what I said about kicking you off the team, but even if it did mean something, you're back on!"

"Really?" Fishlegs grinned in happiness.

"Absolutely." Hiccup clapped him on the shoulder. "By the way, who else has Vorpentitus?"

"Uh…" Fishlegs was sure Hiccup wasn't going to like this. "Toothless."

"Toothless?!" Hiccup's face went from relief to dread just like that.

"He attacked us out on the ice," Eggengarde put in.

"Oh, that's just great," Snotlout shook his head. "Now not only do we have to worry about our beloved leader, but his little bitty dragon has the dragon sting."

"Not now, Snotlout," Hiccup said.

Toothless was now thrashing about and Hiccup was trying his best to keep his head straight so that Astrid could get the red potato in. She finally had to throw it – skin and all – into the dragon's open mouth. Toothless choked, gulped, and stopped thrashing. He gave Hiccup a gummy smile.

"It's OK now, Bud," Hiccup whispered, holding him.

"Well, that's disappointing," said Tuffnut, crossing his arms and pouting. "I was really hoping that I had it so I could visit Valhalla. They say the food is great down there. Plus," he added out of the corner of his mouth, "I'd get away from Ruffnut."

Ruffnut walloped him.

"Well, none of us will be going to Valhalla," Hiccup said in relief. "And I think that someone has been away from home for far too long."

The smile Eggengarde gave him was as beautiful as the sun rising behind her.

* * *

Gwendrid had been trying to keep her mind on her tasks all morning. She wondered if the skinny Hooligan – Hiccup, that was his name – had succumbed to the Vorpent Venom by now. She hoped not. She hoped that they found the potato and were out of there as quickly as possible. With her sister. She sighed a sigh that came from deep within her soul. Her sister. Eggengarde. Dear, sweet Eggengarde.

Who was she kidding? She had sent her best warriors to retrieve her sister, but none had returned. The heads of the dragon riders were probably ornamenting some of Norbert's wooden stakes by now. Gwendrid gulped back tears. If they couldn't do it, then no one could.

Her private thoughts were interrupted by a rush of noise, sounding slightly like a waterfall. Blinking her eyes to focus them, she looked toward the village entrance. What she saw took her breath away.

The dragon riders had returned. They were being escorted to her with great excitement. People were practically crying with ecstasy and little children were jumping for joy. Almost swimming through the crowd came Hiccup, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Astrid, Tuffnut, Ruffnut and… and…

Gwendrid let out a cry of overwhelming happiness, for riding on the Nightfury in front of them all was Eggengarde, her little sister.

As soon as Eggengarde saw Gwendrid, she slipped off Toothless and ran toward her, arms outstretched. She ran right into Gwendrid's arms. Now Gwendrid let the tears stream down her cheeks, not caring that the whole village saw them.

All the dragon riders were smiling as they saw the touching reunion. Snotlout was shivering so hard that his teeth were rattling together, but he was smiling, too.

Still on her knees, Gwendrid lifted up her head from her sister's hair. She held up her hand and, although her voice trembled, it was loud and joyful.

"I thank you, Dragon Riders of Berk, for returning my sister to me." A great cry arose from the people, cheering for their champions, but Gwendrid waved them to stop. "I know that I can never repay you for what you have done, but anything you wish for I will give you. Please, tell me how I may repay this debt."

"Oh, it's nothing," said Hiccup humbly.

"Something, at least," Gwendrid offered eagerly, "Provisions? Fine raiment? Gold?"

"Gold would be nice…" Snotlout mused. Astrid whacked him on the arm.

"Only one thing," decided Hiccup.

"Anything," Gwendrid vowed.

"The good will and friendship of the Wanderer tribe."

Gwendrid's face lit up like the sun. "We give it to you with all our hearts. May it be this way forever between the tribe of Hooligan and the tribe of Wanderers."

Now the applause was absolutely deafening.

"Any chance that they'll send the cavern down on us?" yelled Snotlout over the clamor. Nobody answered him.

* * *

**A/N: One chapter left! Just an epilogue but still, don't miss it!**

**CurlyFriDays: Thank you! I always try to keep the characters true to their original states.**

**Lilypup345: I'm so glad that you're enjoying it! Thanks for reviewing.**

**Romantica 123: Wow, that's an amazing guess! When I was writing the story, I was trying to keep it short (fail), otherwise the story might have ended up longer. I hope you enjoyed the climax of getting the potato to Hiccup and Toothless on time.**

**You all have a lovely week! See you next time for the ending!**


	9. Chapter 9

Despite Gwendrid's urging to stay for a while and the temptation of a feast served in their honor, Hiccup told her that he thought it was time to leave.

"If there's anything you wish, anything at all," Gwendrid added, holding onto Eggengarde as if she would never let her go again, "just come to us."

"I'll keep that in mind," Hiccup told her, grinning and mounting his dragon.

"I still don't understand why you didn't accept the gold when you had the chance, Hiccup," pouted Snotlout.

"I still don't understand how you're still shivering," Astrid countered. "The sun's out, there's hardly a cloud in the sky, it's not even cold out."

"For your information," Snotlout gritted out between clenched teeth, "I'm still freezing."

"Really?"

"Really," Snotlout snapped back, eyes alight and burning, "Can't you see that, lightning-brained Astrid? Can't you see the shivering, arms clenched? And by the way," he added with a feverish glint in his eyes, "Has any one of you thanked me yet for getting the potato for you? NO!" he answered himself with a hellish scream. "No, you didn't! If it wasn't for me – Snotlout – you would still be under the effects of the Vorpent Venom!"

The others looked on in astonishment as Snotlout raved. As he went on, his knees slowly buckled beneath him and he sank to the ground. His angry words dwindled into gibberish and his shivering intensified into a violent shaking that made his teeth clack in his head.

"You did not say that there were more of your number that had the venom!" protested Gwendrid, looking frightened.

"Vorpentitus?" asked Fishlegs, switching his gaze from the writhing Snotlout to the anxious chieftain.

"How long has it been since the Vorpent made its appearance?"

"Three days," said Hiccup softly, dread growing on him like a black shadow, "Almost exactly."

"Hiccup," added Astrid with horror, "You and Toothless already ate the potato. There's… no more left."

Hooligans and Wanderers alike stood in a circle around the poisoned Viking, faces paling as they realized what it implied. No potato. No cure. Snotlout was dying and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

"Oh!" exclaimed Eggengarde with such fervor that everyone looked at her, "Of course! Fishlegs," she ran over to her friend, "Don't dragons in the Strike class, like Toothless, feed their children by regurgitation?"

Now it was Fishlegs who exclaimed "Oh!" His face lit up in realization. "Yes, of course! Whatever they consume is kept in their stomachs for the next fourteen hours!"

"So, you're saying…" prompted Tuffnut, who wasn't following what was being said in the least.

"What I'm saying is…" Fishlegs walked over to Toothless and commanded, "Toothless, let it out."

With a bit of gagging and convulsing, Toothless threw up the contents of his stomach.

"Eww," groaned Tuffnut and Ruffnut.

"Oh, so that's what regurgitate means," realized Ruffnut. "I have to use that word more often."

"Uh, Fishlegs," Hiccup said uneasily as Fishlegs poked through the dragon vomit and uncovered the mushy and partially digested potato, "You're not seriously thinking about feeding that to Snotlout, are you?"

"Let me put it this way, Hiccup: Either this or he dies."

"That's… sound, I suppose."

"Alright, then." Taking a deep breath, Fishlegs took a small piece of potato and walked over to Snotlout. "Sorry, Snotlout," he whispered.

"What are you talking about? Sorry?" asked Tuffnut, watching the whole procedure safely from the back of his dragon, grinning widely. "I'm having the time of my life! You are being more mean to him than I've ever been in my entire life!"

"And all in the name of helping him," added Ruffnut admiringly.

With a shuddering breath, Fishlegs dropped the yucky, thrown up potato into Snotlout's mouth. Snotlout choked, gurgled, and swallowed.

Snotlout sat up as if he had been propelled by a catapult. He spat a couple times in the dirt and wagged his tongue and shuddered. "What did you do!?" he exclaimed in livid horror, "What in Thor's name did you give me?"

"Uh… some potato," Fishlegs told him uneasily. He had known that this part was coming, but had hoped it would be easier.

"We don't have any potato!" yelled Snotlout. Dim realization began to gleam as he looked over at the pile of dragon vomit. "Oh, no," he exclaimed, revulsion growing on his face, "Oh, no. You did not just have the dragon throw up the potato and feed me his icky, yucky throw-up, did you?"

"Either that or go to Valhalla," Astrid said without sympathy.

Snotlout looked mutinous, but he shuddered with disgust and didn't say a word.

"I am pleased that this turned out so well," said Gwendrid, stepping forward.

"So am I," gasped Fishlegs in relief, "I didn't know if it would work after being ingested. Good thinking, Eggengarde," he ruffled the little head. Eggengarde laughed with pleasure.

"Well, if nobody is going to die from Vorpentitus in the near future," Hiccup turned back to Toothless, "I think we must be going."

"Wait," Tuffnut went through a seizure of extreme magnitude that sent the other Vikings running to his side. "Nope, just kidding," he told them, sitting up.

"Go then," laughed Gwendrid, holding her sister by the hand, "And may our two tribes be ever allied."

"I second that." Hiccup waved at them before whispering to Toothless, "Come on, Bud. Let's get out of here before somebody else gets stung."

With a loud swooping of wings, the five dragons lifted off. The sky was blue and the sea was white with ice. The Vikings laughed as they made loop-di-loops in the air, spinning through the frosty wind.

* * *

The next day, they finally landed back on the island.

"Well," remarked Gobber, "I can see you took your time. Your father is as mad as a hornet that you didn't come back sooner."

"Sorry, Gobber," apologized Hiccup, dismounting.

"Don't '_sorry_' me. '_Sorry'_ him."

"Hiccup!" The bellow rang out.

"Somebody's in trouble," sang Snotlout in a whisper.

"You will have a fine funeral, my friend," promised Tuffnut, "with cake and a comfortable boat that we will set on fire with the utmost solemnity."

"Guys, I'm not going to die!" protested Hiccup. "Right, bud?" he whispered to Toothless as he moved forward. Toothless gave an unsure grumble.

"Hey, Dad!" Hiccup cried with fake enthusiasm.

Stoick stood with arms crossed, fiery brows pressed low over his eyes in a horrible scowl. "Well, well," he remarked, "look who finally decided to show up."

"Look, Dad, just let me explain…"

"Four days gone, no word, horrible storm without the help of dragon riders, and you think that there is a simple explanation for this? Well, if there is, I am ready to hear it." Stoick looked down the bridge of his nose at his son.

"Err… well… um… look, this is going to sound like a really stupid excuse, but I have witnesses." He looked back uneasily at his friends. Snotlout shook his head, Astrid nodded, and Fishlegs gave him a _'go on'_ gesture. "I… well, Dad, I was… dying of Vorpentitus." This last was said in a rush.

"Dying of Vorpentitus?" bellowed Stoick, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Yes, I know, Dad. This sounds kind of crazy, but if you just talk to Gothi-"

"Is this true?" shouted Stoick at the dragon riders.

"Yes, chief, it actually is," answered Astrid.

"So was I," added Snotlout.

"And me!" said Tuffnut.

"Hey! You were not!"

"Yes, I was!"

"Was not!"

And the twins were engaged in yet another argument.

"So," Stoick turned thunderously back to Hiccup, "you nearly died of Vorpentitus."

"Uh… yep."

"And do you have anything to show for it?"

"I'm not quite sure what you…"

"The friendship of the Wanderer tribe!" blurted Fishlegs.

"Eh?" Stoick turned.

"Yeah, chief," said Astrid. "We helped the chieftain of the Wanderer tribe and they've agreed to be allies."

"Plus, we're still alive, right?" added Hiccup. "So, win-win."

Stoick gave Hiccup a long, hard stare. "Alright," he said finally. "You've convinced me. Besides, if you're lying, I can always talk to the chief of the Wanderer tribe."

"Yes, yes you can, Dad."

"But until then, we need some firewood. Get the dragon riders up into those hills and look for dry wood."

"Oh, um, Dad?" Hiccup asked uneasily, "Can't we do something other than firewood? At least until potato season is back in?"

"I was just joking!" roared Stoick. "The hills have been declared off-limits. We're leaving."

"Oh, thank Thor," Hiccup whispered. "Well, gang," Hiccup called back over his shoulder. "Let's pack it up! These boats won't guard themselves!"

"Though wouldn't that be something," whispered Ruffnut to her brother.

"Yeah," agreed Tuffnut. "It would sure make our job a lot easier."

"I am looking forward to a poisonous yellow dragon-free flight," said Snotlout.

"I second that," Hiccup agreed. "Let's go, gang!"

And all the dragons, with their riders on their backs, took flight.

**The  
End**

* * *

**A/N: Well, there you have it! the story is complete. I hope you enjoyed it. (And a shout-out to the people who noticed when I posted chapter 7 again instead of this chapter *facepalm*)**

**I have a tentative plan on writing a fanfic that focuses on Fishlegs and Heather in the future, so if you have any story prompts, please give me a PM or send in a comment! I'd love to have some ideas. It'll be K+ rating, though, so nothing smutty, please.**

**I also play video games on YouTube, so if you have any interest in watching me play video games, look me up under the name PastSelf. I'm working on a Little Nightmares fanfic which I'm going to start posting next week, so if you don't know what that is, watch me play the game on YouTube, or else I'll see you over on that fandom.**

**Thank you guys so much for bearing with me. I loved your comments and just knowing that so many of you bore it out until the end. I hope to be writing some more stuff for you in the future. Have a lovely, lovely week.**


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